Obama praises SEAL Team Six member killed in rescue

Dec. 11, 2012
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President Obama speaks at the annual National Christmas Tree Lighting on the Ellipse Thursday in Washington. / Carolyn Kaster, AP

by USA TODAY

by USA TODAY

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WASHINGTON (AP) - A member of SEAL Team Six, the special operations unit that killed Osama bin Laden last year, was killed during a weekend rescue mission in Afghanistan that freed an American doctor abducted by the Taliban outside of Kabul five days ago.

On Monday, the Pentagon identified the Navy SEAL as Petty Officer 1st Class Nicolas D. Checque of Monroeville, Pa. The 28-year-old died of combat-related injuries, the Defense Department said in a statement.

President Obama praised the special forces on Sunday, saying the mission was characteristic of U.S. troops' "extraordinary courage, skill and patriotism."

"He gave his life for his fellow Americans, and he and his teammates remind us once more of the selfless service that allows our nation to stay strong, safe and free," Obama said in a statement.

In a separate statement Sunday, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said, "In this fallen hero, and all of our special operators, Americans see the highest ideals of citizenship, sacrifice and service upheld."

A spokesman for U.S. forces in Afghanistan said Dr. Dilip Joseph of Colorado Springs, Colo., was rescued early Sunday, local time, in eastern Afghanistan.

Joseph, a medical adviser for Colorado Springs-based Morning Star Development, was rescued after intelligence showed he was in imminent danger of injury or possible death, according to the U.S. military.

Morning Star, a relief group that helps rebuild communities in Afghanistan, said in a statement that Joseph was uninjured and would probably return home in a few days. The group also said two of his co-workers were freed by their captors about 11 hours before the rescue, after hours of negotiations were conducted over three days.

Morning Star said the three workers were abducted by a group of armed men while returning from a visit to one of the organization's rural medical clinics in eastern Kabul province. The group said the three workers were taken into mountains about 50 miles from the Pakistan border,

The relief group said it would not reveal the identity of the other two men because they live and work in the region. The group said it did not pay ransom to obtain their release.

Morning Star praised those who helped get their workers back unharmed, singling out "courageous members of the U.S. military who successfully rescued Mr. Joseph as they risked their own lives doing so."

The group also offered thanks to local Afghan elders and local leaders "who made visits and appeals to the captors advocating for the release of the hostages."

CNN, in its report, said a service record provided by the Defense Department shows that Checque joined the Navy in 2002 and entered the SEAL program in April 2003.

CNN said Checque had received the Bronze Star and several other awards during his 10-year Naval career.

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